Anna scoffs at poverty parameters

BAHRAICH: Scoffing at the parameters fixed by the government to define poverty, social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday said that "Congress ministers and leaders would know the harsh truth if they try and lead their life according to these parameters".

Addressing a public gathering after reaching Bahraich from Lakhimpur-Kheri during his Jantantra Yatra, Anna ridiculed Congress leaders' claim that "one can have a complete meal in Rs 12 in Mumbai and Rs 5 in Delhi". He said that these comments were aimed at "humiliating the common man". "The political leadership is not in tune with the ground realities. These leaders should give up the life of comfort and try to sustain their family on Rs 33 a day, which is not even enough for a healthy breakfast."

To support his assertion, he said, "Most of the ministers are unaware of people's miseries as they are not connected with the masses. It is true that only a pregnant woman knows the pangs of child birth."

Referring to debates on parameter of poverty on TV channels, Anna said that the supporters of poverty parameter spend hundreds of rupees on the diet of their pet and on TV channels make claims of having a stomach-full meal for Re 1 or 5 or 12. "They are only ridiculing the poor," he said.

Anna, who sounded quite bitter over the working of the government, said: "Despite paying a bribe people are unable to get their work done."

Wading into the ongoing debate of "Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi", Anna once again declared that "none of them deserved to be the Prime Minister". Stating that both the BJP and the Congress were projecting Modi and Rahul as their respective prime minister candidates to win the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he openly challenged Modi to bring his past in the domain of public scrutiny. "If Modi is honest, then he should form a public commission in Gujarat to probe all the contentious issues".

Before heading for Gonda, Anna called upon people to support honest candidates in 2014. Accusing the Central government of cheating the public on Janlokpal Bill for the last two years, he said that government's intentions were doubtful and announced to blow the bugle on Janlokpal Bill at New Delhi's Ramlila Ground between October 2013 and January 2014.

Accusing the Central government of misleading the people, he said: "The Centre constituted a five-member panel of Union ministers, including Salman Khurshid, and Pranab Mukherjee, who is now the President, over the bill. The panel discussed all the issues with five of my representatives for over two months to thrash out a common agenda for the bill. However, the Centre backtracked soon afterwards."

He said his Jantantra Ytara aimed at creating awareness on Janlokpal Bill. He said people were yet to understand that they were the masters and officers and public representatives were their servants. "The master has the right to know where his money is being spent," he added.